‘Survivor’ 37 deleted scene: Alec Merlino’s pizza reward was great time to ‘get food-drunk and talk about strategy’ [WATCH]

“If you’re with the right people it’s a great time to bond, kind of get food-drunk and talk about strategy,” Alec Merlino said in the latest deleted scene from “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” about winning the pizza reward during the November 14 episode. Alec continued, “Rewards are important [because] you get calories. You need the energy out here. It helps you think through things and then go into immunity [strong].” Watch CBS’s “Survivor” deleted scene above.

Of the 12 castaways still on the island, six of them — Alec, Christian Hubicki, Gabby Pascuzzi, John Hennigan, Alison Raybould and Nick Wilson — won the pizza picnic. The reward challenge was divided into two teams, with the players struggling to hold up heavy sandbags over their heads. Alec’s team held their sandbags longer after rival player Dan Rengering got cocky and tried to balance three on one hand.

Five of the six pizza feasters were part of the (now-defunct?) “Strike Force” alliance that consisted of three Davids (Christian, Gabby, Nick) and three Goliaths (Alec, Alison, Mike White). However, they couldn’t discuss game play at the picnic because John wasn’t a part of their secret group. “It was hard with John so we didn’t really talk strategy,” Alec confirmed. “If we had Mike it would have just been a full, open conversation. He’s the sixth member to that little alliance we have of the Goliaths and Davids.”

Unbeknownst to the reward winners, while they were gorging on pizza Mike was having second thoughts about the “Strike Force.” Mike decided that it was not a smart idea to align with Christian knowing that he could eventually beat him in the final jury vote, so Mike changed the plan. He gathered the other Goliaths into the fold, including Angelina Keeley, who was aggravated because it was actually her idea to blindside Christian the previous week.

At tribal council, Mike’s plan was enacted as all seven Goliaths (Mike, Angelina, Alec, Alison, John, Dan and Kara Kay) voted for Christian. But they were caught off-guard when Christian was saved by Davie Rickenbacker‘s immunity idol. Dan then played his idol for Angelina, but it was all for naught as John was sent to Ponderosa with three votes. Listen to our exit interview podcast with John Hennigan.